Woodlands Living, Issue 24, Winter 2014

8/15/2019 Woodlands Living, Issue 24, Winter 2014

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Qua r t e r l y

Homeowne rs

As s oc i a t i o n

News l e t t e r Woodlands Living Woodlands Living

From the Board of Directors

2013 has been a wonderful year in The Woodlands! We have finished our first full-year with our new management

company, Heritage Property Management, and we can say that the transition has been a real success. Feedback

has been very positive about the personnel and service provided by Heritage, and from the Board perspective, the

property management office and our business matters are managed very professionally. We appreciate our partner-

ship with Heritage.

The Board has also continued our policy of financial transparency and fiscal responsibility. Our planned budget will

be achieved this year, proving that the changes made in 2012, if managed properly, are repeatable. We have also

negotiated agreements with major service providers to keep costs at a predictable level for the next few years, en-

suring that our expenses on major spend categories will not fluctuate and cause financial stress on our budget.

Another major development is the decision to administer online elections this year when the neighborhood votes on

new directors for the HOA. Our test run received excellent feedback and we hope that this will provide the broad

access to homeowners that will ensure a quorum and a valid election. The system may also prove to be ideal for

votes on amendments to the governing documents.

Our community has continued a tradition of wonderful social events; and we have continued to make improvements

in amenities, like the permanent shade umbrellas at the Views pool, and improvements to the Nature Trails, which

have permitted neighbors to see parts of The Woodlands that they might otherwise have avoided in the past. We

really have a wonderful property that continues to mature.

We thank you all for engaging with us in meetings, online on Facebook, and in person. It’s been really fun to meet

many of you and hear your compliments and constructive comments. Thank you.

The Woodlands Board of Directors wishes you and your families a safe and enjoyable holiday season, and a happy

New Year, and we look forward to seeing you in 2014!

David, Michael, DJ, and Kellie

I s sue

Jan / Feb /Ma r

2014

24

In this issue:

1 Introduction

2 Annual Meeting

3 Board Updates

4 Committees & Clubs

5 In Case You Wondered

6 Your Submissions

7 Taste of Woodlands

7 Kidz Stuff

8 Event Calendar

This wonderful Winter photo was submi�ed by Larry

Hand, writer, novelist, poet, and most importantly, Woodlands resident!


2/11

Board of Directors

David Fortin, President

Michael Espriella, Vice President

Vacant, Treasurer

David J. Kirklen, Secretary

Kellie Simpson, Director

Committee Chairs

Architectural Committee

Kellie Simpson, Acting Chair

Newsletter

Justin Ismach, Editor

Social Committee

Laura McQuillan, Co-Chair

Stacey Garbow, Co-Chair

Sports CommitteeTodd Black, Tennis Liaison

Heather Castle, Woodlands Wave

We’re onlinewww.woodlandsliving.com

Find us on Facebook

facebook.comTheWoodlandsHOA

Woodlands Homeowners Assoc.

800 Woodlands Pkwy

Woodstock, GA 30188

phone (678) 445-2441

fax (678) 445-2910

Community Managed by:

Heritage Property Management Services, Inc.

500 Sugar Mill Road Building B, Ste. 200

Atlanta, GA 30350

On-site Property Manager

Teresa Kissell

[email protected]

It was brought to our attention by the authorof an article about the Woodlands Wave, that

a swimmer that participated in the District

swim tournament was not mentioned in the

write-up. Connor Morrow participated in the

Districts last June as well in the Team Med-

ley.

We apologize for the omission and congratu-

late Connor on his accomplishment! Go

Wave!

Congratulations to Woodlands homeownerLarry Hand, who submitted the winning Win-

ter photograph featured on the banner of this

newsletter.

Each issue we will accept photographs sub-

mitted by homeowners and feature an out-

standing one in the newsletter.

Thanks, Larry!

Woodlands HOA Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting will be held on January

27, 2014 and the election to fill expiring and

vacant Board seats will be held at thattime. There are two positions that will expire

and will be up for election for a two-year

term. There is also a vacancy that was creat-

ed due to a resignation that has one year re-

maining in the term. The Board has decided

to treat this vacancy as a special elected posi-

tion this year, and include it to be voted on by

the membership, as opposed to the Board

appointing the seat. In total, three seats are

available to be elected for terms as men-

tioned.

Serving on the Board is a rewarding way tocontribute to your community. It affords the

ability to be involved in protecting your com-

munity and home values; participate in solving

problems; gain a better understanding of the

rules and expectations of homeowners and

the HOA; learn valuable life and business les-

sons and improve leadership skills and, most

importantly, to meet, work for and with your

neighbors and to have fun!

We invite any homeowner who is interested in

serving, and who is current with their annual

assessments and in good standing with the

Association, to contact the Property Manager

to complete a Candidacy form. Please include

a brief bio that will be used to introduce you

and your qualifications or interest to your

neighbors.

Interested homeowners can submit their Can-

didacy forms from now through December 28,

2013. Candidates may introduce themselves

and answer questions from homeowners on

January 6, 2014, with the election (on line and

proxy) period lasting from January 7, 2014

through January 27, 2014. At the annual

meeting, the ballots will be submitted and

election results will be tallied and announced,

if quorum is met.

We wish all candidate the best of luck, and

thank you for caring about The Woodlands so

much!


3/11

This January will mark the completion of my 2-year term both as a mem-

ber of the Woodlands HOA Board of Directors, and as President. It has

been my honor to have served a community that I love. In this period of

time I have seen significant improvement and change, both in ways that

can be calculated and valuated, and ways that are less obvious but no

less important. As a homeowner it is your right to participate in the gov-

ernance of the community, and I encourage any of you that are interested

in being involved to consider running for a Board position in the 2014

election, which will be held at the 2014 Woodlands HOA Annual Meeting

on January 27, 2014.

Whoever wins will fill a spot that can feel both rewarding and thankless at

times. Whichever version the days ahead bring, my advice to you is lead

with balance and reason, not emotion. Seek out and listen to those who

are not heard as much as those who's voices cannot be ignored. Com-

municate openly; if you are doing the right things, there is nothing to hide.

And always remember that you are a neighbor. There will seldom be a

decision that you make that will satisfy everyone, so serve with conviction

honor and you will do well. The tangible results are what has made this

position fun and rewarding. Thank you for letting me serve the Wood-

lands.

For the period ending Nov. 30, 2013. Total funds = $633k, decrease of

$58.4k from Q3-2013, equivalent to period operating expenses. YTD

operating expenses are only $6k over budget and should fall within the

budget at year-end. YTD capital expenditures and projects $5.7k over

budget, resulting from additional remedial work on the detention ponds.

We have received $604k in assessment payments (HOA dues) or about

80% of the budgeted 2013 dues. By count of households, the number of

delinquencies has dropped from as high as 22% at the start of the year, to

an all-time low of 6%, or approx. 65 households. The actual amount owed

by this minority of home-

owners, as well as accounts no longer residing in The Woodlands remains

a concern area, with a total amount owed of $184k. The Board of Direc-

tors has directed our management company and collection agent to take

more progressive approach at colleting these long-outstanding sums, and

this should remain a priority of the new Board in order to alleviate an

shortfall of income to the Association.

Funding of the capital reserves is $30k short, with a total of $139k contrib-

uted towards the annual $185k total. This will be approx. $50k at year

end. This is due to the income shortage mentioned above.

It’s Winter and while we may find ourselves doing more things inside, we

still have some nice days that we can enjoy the outdoors; and what a

beautiful community to enjoy it in! Your home is typically your single most

expensive investment and while we can’t control or speed up the slowly

increasing values, you can take steps to ensure that its value is main-

tained both aesthetically and in real dollars.

No one likes a bill; however, please be reminded that statements for 2014

HOA assessments are on their way. It is vital that every owner pay their

assessments in a timely manner as these are the funds that the Associa-

tion draws from to maintain the community throughout the year

(landscaping, pool management, utilities, etc.). The Association is a busi-

ness, and , it has financial obligations to meet. The Association is de-

pendent on each dollar that comes in every year to ensure that you may

continue to enjoy the amenities that you take advantage of and that draw

new owners and help to maintain and increase your home’s value. Please

do your part by promptly paying your assessment when it comes due.

While taking care of your home can be expensive, there are smaller, less

expensive or even free things you can do to help maintain the appearance

of your home and your community.

And the biggest thing you can do and a completely free option - VOLUN-

TEER!! The association runs completely on volunteers. Giving up a

weekday night here and there or a weekend is deeply appreciated by all

those owners who can see how smoothly their community runs and who

enjoy the social activities and special events that are offered!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Messages From The Board


4/11

Atlanta Winters are unpredictable. One year it will feel like Spring, the

next it will feel like the next Ice Age. Nevertheless, it never hurts to be

prepared for what can happen. We all remember the deep post-Christmas

freeze of a couple of years ago. Here are a few things you can do to

make sure your home is ready for the cold, if the cold decides to visit:

Checklist:

√ Clean your gutters

√ Insulate walls and attic

√ Caulk and weather strip doors and windows

√ Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside

√ Insulate any water lines, and winterize irrigation to avoid freezing

√ Have chimney and flue inspected

A couple of other things that are easily overlooked are to change the rota-

tion of your ceiling fans and to properly test all smoke and carbon monox-

ide detectors.

Reverse the fan. By reversing its direction from the summer opera-

tion, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to recirculate,

keeping you more comfortable. (Here's how you know the fan is

ready for winter: As you look up, the blades should be turning clock-

wise

Check the alarms. This is a great time to check the operation and

change the batteries on your home's smoke detectors. Detectors

should be replaced every 10 years, fire officials say. Many homes in

the Woodlands are coming up on that milestone.

The Social Committee, headed up by Stacey Garbow and Laura McQuil-

lan, have done a wonderful job this year organizing fun events for the

community. The annual Easter egg hunt kicked off the season, and every-

one enjoyed Spring and Summer events, like pool parties, fun movie

nights, like Dine-In Movie Night and Family Movie Night. We were

pleased to see so many participants and tents at the Fall Camp-out event,

and the year was closed out with a wonderful Holiday event at the club-

house with refreshments and two special guest, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The Social calendar for 2014 is under construction, and we can’t wait to

see what next year has in store. We’re sure it will be fun for all!

Please check the Woodlands HOA Facebook Fan Page and your e-mails

for updates on Social events.

Remember, these events are brought to you by volunteers. There is al-

ways room for more hands to assist. If you would like to join the commit-

tee, or even be involved in a single event, please contact these hardwork-

ing ladies to help by e-mail at [email protected].

Thanks, Stacey, and Laura, for all of your hard work!

Commi�ees & Clubs

In case you had not heard, The Woodlands has a great Book Club that

meets on the second Monday of every month at the Woodlands Club-

house at 7:30 PM. Why don’t you join in, make some new friends, and

discuss a book with the group? The next scheduled club meeting will be:

Monday, January 13th at 7:30pm Inferno by Dan Brown

Monday, February 10th at 7:30pm The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert

Galbraith aka JK Rowling

Monday, March 10th at 7:30pm The House on Tradd Street by local

author, Karen White.

Monday, April 14th at 7:30 PM Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

B O O K C L U B


5/11


6/11

New Year, New Landscape Beginnings

We look to this time of year as a “New Beginning”, whether to break from

old habits or to begin new routines in our lives. This can apply for your

landscape too. Out with the “Old” and in with the “New” will be my Land-

scape Mantra for 2014.

OUT WITH THE OLD — Begin the year with “Corrective Pruning”. This

type of pruning really means deep, hard cutbacks of your plant material to

help reclaim a space this plant may have overgrown. Some hedges can

tolerate being cut back as much as half, as the plants growth cycle is at a

minimum. Your plants will not be as appealing after these cutbacks, but

with spring 2 ½ short months away those plants will fi out with warmer

weather. This also applies to knockout roses and spirea. I like to use 18”

for height of knockout roses after cutback, ensuring we get inside the plant

removing dead branches and general thinning of the plant. This is also a

great time to use those NEW landscape gloves as those roses will tear

your hands up.

A common question this time of year is whether to “remove the old mulch

before applying new mulch to my beds”. Absolutely not. The reason is

that the old mulch has actually created a barrier and helps control weeds,

temperature and retain moisture. Removing this barrier could potentially

stir up more weed seeds in that soil or in that existing mulch and now you

have another battle on your hands.

IN WITH THE NEW — i f you have never used a professional landscape

company to assist you with your landscaping, whether its maintenance or

a large project, I urge you to at least seek out an estimate for your needs.

In the month of January, companies will be scheduling out their chemical

applications for control of pesky crabgrass. Don’t delay in setting an ap-

pointment with your friendly neighborhood landscaper, because as March

and April nears their phones begin to ring a little more. Take the time to

continue to enhance your landscape and let 2014 be the BEST YEAR OF

YOUR LANDSCAPE.

Your Submissions

Micky Eubanks is co-owner of Lawnsmith, landscape

contractor for The Woodlands. 678-445-4283.

[email protected] or [email protected]

Staging Your Home For Sale

There is a reason why a whole industry has sprung up called

Home Staging. It works. There is proof that a well staged home

stays on the market fewer days and with higher priced offers. How

you live in your home is not necessarily how you want to present it

to the market. If you can wrap your mind around the idea that

your dwelling has become a product for sale, it makes it easier to

eliminate the personalization that you have lovingly cultivated

while you have lived there.

Some staging techniques include removing artificial flowers/trees

(they just always seem to appear dusty no matter how fastidious

you are) and collectibles that could prove to be distracting and

perhaps broken if not contained in display cabinets. Taking down

your wall of family pictures and cleaning out closets so that they

look larger. Clearing your surface areas and limiting your decora-

tive items to 3 or 5 (odd numbers work). And lastly, perhaps your

refrigerator should look like a refrigerator and not a bulletin board.

The number one complaint buyers have is related to smell. Clean

your house like it has never been cleaned before!!! Before a

showing, put the lids down on all the toilets and wipe out all the

sinks. Of course, the challenge is to maintain this throughout the

listing timeframe. Try to think back to when you were a buyer.

Wasn’t it easier to picture yourself moving into a home that ap-

peared more like a “model home” than a “lived-in” home with

strewn clothes, wet towels hanging off the shower door and the

smell of last night’s dinner of shrimp étouffée?

Pre-packing your home is a great way at looking at staging. It

would be better to reduce the extra stuff you have accumulated

and have it stored in boxes or bins neatly stacked in your garage/

basement/storage area than lose a buyer’s interest. That way you

will be ahead of the game when you do get a signed contract and

the real packing begins in earnest.

Julie Smith is a real estate agent and new Woodlands

resident. Thanks for your great submissions for this

newsletter, Julie!


7/11


8/11


9/11

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Documents

Woodlands Living, Issue 24, Winter 2014